Find the Right Fit!
Below you will find a variety of practitioners for children, adolescents, and parents. I recommend speaking with at least three practitioners in order to find the right fit for your needs.
Click here for referrals for Adults & Couples
Finding the right support for your child depends on their life experience, onset of challenges, and nature of their struggles. Please explore the following information as a guide, and scroll down for recommended mental health care professionals and parent coaches.
Occupational Therapy
Is your kid emotionally and/or physically intense? Constantly on the move or running in to things? Clumsy or avoidant of certain textures or foods? If this sounds familiar, OT can help. We Play Atlanta and Joanne Fleckenstein are trusted OT services.
Neuroimmune Infections (PANS/PANDAS)
A sudden onset of emotional or physical intensity warrants an evaluation by a Lyme Literate professional who can identify and treat neuroimmune infections.
Dr. Eric Frier located near Grant Park
Panda Neurology located at 285 & 400
Speech & Language Pathologist (SLP)
If your child struggles to listen, follow directions, or express their wants and needs, an SLP can help. Anita Bullock-Morley is a trusted local SLP who also offers KindTree Kids camps to help kids build emotional intelligence, self-awareness and self regulation. She also offers neurodivergent affirming parent coaching.
Psychoeducational Evaluation
Kids and teens who struggle with academic engagement, motivation or emotional regulation often wrestle with invisible barriers. I recommend reaching out to a neurodivergent affirming psychologist for a full psyched evaluation.
Dr. Paul Cohen (Sandy Springs),
Dr. Brandi Smith *PDA (Sandy Springs)
Dr. Emily *autism (Glenridge Dr)
Note: Ignore ABA in report.
The Safe Sound Protocol (SSP) is a music listening therapy designed to improve nervous system regulation in children and adults to support many symptoms and conditions.
The Apollo Neuro is a wearable band that helps rebalance the nervous system, increase heart rate variability (HRV), improve sleep, and lower stress, reactivity, and resting heart rate.
Therapeutic Drumming
Drumming is a nonverbal therapy that can help increase emotional and physical regulation and address other mental health struggles, including PTSD, trauma, addiction, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and stress behaviors associated with Autism, PDA, ADHD, PDD, OCD, ODD, and more.
Amy Jackson of Drum Rise is in Decatur.
Child & Adolescent Therapists
Children and adolescents need a therapist who understands child development, neurodiversity, how they experience the world, and the importance of their sense of belonging and significance. Below you will find therapists who understand the the role of somatic experiencing, play, art, and connection in a therapeutic relationship that allows children to grow and heal.
Children who are struggling emotionally or behaviorally, or who experienced medical trauma, abuse, or witness to violence, are best served through a play therapist. Play is a child's language, and through play they are able to work through the experience and reconsolidate the memory.
Teens and preteens need a therapist who is able to see, hear and believe their experience, and who is aligned with the neurobiological approach to trauma-healing and/or empowering, using talk therapy, art, sandtray, co-regulation and relational safety, and therapeutic movement.
Julie Carnes, LPC
Julie works primarily with preschool and elementary kids and their parents using a DIR/Floortime and the collaborative problem solving approach of Dr. Ross Greene.
Rita Patel, LCSW, RPT, SE
Rita works with kids, teens and adults using somatic, play, sandtray and art to address anxiety, chronic illness, depression, stress management, self-esteem, trauma, grief, loss, parenting, and relationship concerns.
Ryan Allen, LPC
Lucero del Rocio Morse, LPC, RPT
Lucero is a multi-lingual registered play therapist who works with kids and teens. She specializes in working with trauma, ADHD, self-harm, divorce, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, emotional regulation, and identity development.
Sherri Cauthen, LCSW, RPT-S
Sherri works with toddlers to preteens. As a registered play therapist, she helps children struggling with excessive worry, feelings of hopelessness, and changes in sleep/eating habits through play and creative expression.
Laura Ladefian, EdS, LPC, RPT
Laura works with children, teens and families with grief and loss, anxiety, trauma, and depression. She specializes in play therapy and parent-child relationships, and uses a strengths-based collaborative approach with teens.
Lauren Stinson, MS, LPC
Lauren uses a collaborative approach to help adolescents and adults understand their struggles and develop coping skills to manage strong emotions. She utilizes evidence-based approaches to treat anxiety, depression, trauma, and overwhelm, including talk therapy, Somatic and Attachment Focused EMDR and Hypnotherapy.
Rebecca Pollock, MS, LPC
Rebecca Pollock, MS, LPC specializes in working with adolescents and adults, treating anxiety, depression, OCD and trauma using hypnotherapy, Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), and a client-centered approach to talk therapy.
Angie Miles, MA, LAPC, NCC
Elise Roche, LPC, ATR-BC
Elise works with adolescents and understand it is a time with feelings are their biggest, impulsivity it's strongest and self-esteem the lowest. It's exciting and excruciating and messy - and she helps teens make it good mess.
Mick Rehrig works with kids, teens and adults who are navigating healthy masculinity, internalized oppression, gender dysphoria, depression, sexuality, relationship stressors & boundaries, family of origin challenges, & life transitions.
Matt Ottenweller specilizes in working with kids and teens struggling with trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, ADHD, grief, and family conflict.,
Group Practices
Gaia Counseling is a group practice in Decatur who meets the diverse needs of children, adolescents, college students, families and more.
Fleurish is a group practice who meets the diverse needs of children, adolescents, college students, families and more. Trans + NB, Black therapy, LGBTQIA+, and more.
Summit's Edge is a counseling center in Marietta comprised of a diverse group of therapists offering specialties ranging from individual and marriage counseling, to adolescent and LGBTQI+ Support Groups.
Firefly Wellness Counseling is a group practice in Scottdale, GA who help children, teens, parents, and moms build a more peaceful and harmonious home life through personalized, evidence-based therapy.
Wellspring Counseling is a collection of professional counselors and change makers who value diversity, authenticity, and safe space. They work with children, adolescents, adults, and couples, and specialize in various therapeutic modalities. Their uniting style is a positive and accepting attitude towards sexuality and gender.
Hirt Psychology is a collection of therapists who offer individual, couples and group therapy for people of all ages and needs. They use evidence-based and collaborative treatment approaches aimed at helping people cope with various life challenges and/or mental health issues.
Parents
Parenting is hard because nurting the growing needs of young people is physically and emotionally demanding. You may also notice that becoming a parent revealed to you some areas in your life that need more attention and care. Sometimes you need a therapist, and other times you need a parent coach.
Parent-focused counseling centers around exploring the triggers that get in the way of your long-term parenting goals, and discovering what you need in order to experience less reactivity as a parent.
T'herapeutic Parent Coaching helps you understand your child's needs and skills, develop your long-term parenting goals, and use your goals as a guide for how to respond to connect with your unique children. Check out my Therapuetic Parent Coaching services.
Below are additional parent coaches and community and resources.
Robbi Anne Strauss, LPC
Robbi is a therapist who specializes in working with parents of toddlers and therapy for moms. She helps parents feel equipped and empowered to approach parenting with confidence and connection.
Leslie Arreola-Hillenbrand Coaching, workshops and support circles for BIPOC and biracial parents.
Robyn Gobbel
Robyn helps families struggling with big, baffling behaviors using relational neuroscience.
Sarah MacLaughlin
Compassion-based coaching for building skills, decoding behavior, and support.
Amy Phoenix
Coaching on mindfulness, parenting, and mindful parenting.
Shonnie Lavender
Coaching and classes for parents tired of struggling with their kids.
Sheena Hill
Responsive parenting & holistic sleep coach. Emotional intelligence, effective limit setting, and therapeutic play.
Lori Petro
TEACH Through Love
Online courses for learning conscious communication skills and parenting tools.
Vivek Patel & Sujai Johnston
Group coaching calls, podcasts, workshops and support for parents.
Cindy Brandt
Blog and podcast about learning to raise our children with justice, mercy, and kindness.
Trina Greene Brown
Parenting for Liberation
A virtual community that connects, inspires, and uplifts Black folks as they navigate and negotiate raising Black children within the social and political context of the US.
